‘For bringing Nigerian football and the country to ridicule,’ the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has summoned ‘factional leader,’ Chris Giwa and his group, which include Yahaya Adama, Muazu Suleyman, Sani Fema and Effiong Johnson to appear before its Disciplinary Board.

‘For bringing Nigerian football and the country to ridicule,’ the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has summoned ‘factional leader,’ Chris Giwa and his group, which include Yahaya Adama, Muazu Suleyman, Sani Fema and Effiong Johnson to appear before its Disciplinary Board.

‘For bringing Nigerian football and the country to ridicule,’ the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has summoned ‘factional leader,’ Chris Giwa and his group, which include Yahaya Adama, Muazu Suleyman, Sani Fema and Effiong Johnson to appear before its Disciplinary Board.

The NFF says Giwa and his ‘gang’ were summoned for contravening its statutes and other extant football laws. The decision was taken yesterday at the end of the NFF extra-ordinary general assembly in Abuja.

Also for ‘aiding and abetting’ the Giwa-led faction, thus collectively contravening provisions of NFF, WAFU, CAF and FIFA Statutes, the NFF General Assembly also ordered Rumson Baribote, Shehu Adamu, Ben Agary and Jide Fashikun to appear and defend themselves before its Committee on Ethics and Fairplay.

The NFF General Assembly noted the motion for suspension on the affected persons pursuant to Article 37 (1), adding, however, that in the spirit of Article 37 (3) of the NFF Statutes and in the interest of fair hearing, they were given an opportunity to defend themselves.

According to the communiqué, signed by the chairman, communiqué drafting committee, Sir E.C. Chukwuemeka, Giwa and his ‘gang’ committed infractions such as illegally contracting a law firm in South Africa in the name of the NFF and refusing to pay for the services up to a point where judgment was given against the NFF by the South African court.

The Congress further affirmed that all eligible and qualified persons under the NFF statutes are eligible to contest elections.